Saltwater fishing requires a different approach to baiting your line than freshwater fishing. The primary difference is the food supply provided in sea water. The most effective way to attract fish in any body of water is by using baits that are familiar to them. You can purchase many saltwater baits in bait shops, but you can also find popular baits in tide pools or elsewhere along the shoreline. The trick with some is properly placing the bait on the hook.
Keep Shrimp Alive
Shrimp are a great saltwater bait that you can purchase cheaply from a bait shop. Hooking a shrimp, however, can be difficult. Most species of shrimp feature a black spot on the back of their exoskeleton, which is an excellent marker for anglers because piercing this spot with a hook will instantly kill the shrimp. It's important that shrimp be kept alive on the line because their motion entices predator fish.
To hook a shrimp without killing it, TakeMeFishing.org instructs: insert the hook through the tail of the shrimp and up through the body of the shrimp, then bring the hook back out shortly before it reaches the black spot.
Play Shellfish in the Sun
You can find mussels and clams along the shoreline. Crack them open to reveal the meat of the mollusk, which can be strung on a hook and is very attractive to many kinds of fish. But as enticing as an exposed shellfish may be to predators, they can be a real hassle to keep on the hook---or even get on the hook at all---due to their slimy, slippery texture. To combat this, place shellfish meat under the sun for a couple hours to dry out and toughen up. This won't make it less appealing to the fish you're trying to catch, but it will eliminate the slimy texture and firm up the meat, making it easier to set on the hook---and less likely to slip off in the water.
Hook Crabs Through Shell
You can easily find small crabs on the beach---particularly during the morning and evening hours---and they make great sea fishing bait. One of the advantages of crab is that you can hook the bait firmly on the line without damaging the crab. Place a hook in the shell of the crab near the head, avoiding the meat of the body. You can cast and reel slowly or simply let the crab's live action do the work, similar to how you would fish with a shrimp.
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